Moonlight increases visibility for nocturnal hunters such as Belize's jaguars—and it also increases the vulnerability of their prey.

In coastal Belize, armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are the cats' primary prey. Though they may look tough, these little guys know they're no match for a hungry jaguar. So the brighter the moon, the less time armadillos spend out of their burrows.

And jaguars have taken note. On dark nights they're most active at locations with lots of armadillo burrows. But when the full moon is out, the jaguars leave: they're seen only two-thirds as often in these areas.

But their overall activity doesn't decline, so it appears they take a cue from the moon and look for food elsewhere—maybe to their second choice prey animal, the white-lipped peccary.